Louisville native Justin Thomas gets choked up at Hometown Hero banner dedication
Less than two weeks away from the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, Justin Thomas returned to Louisville as a Hometown Hero.
"I thank the city of Louisville so much for making me feel like this," said an emotional Thomas during his dedication ceremony. "There's a reason when I tee off that I'm announced from Louisville, Kentucky."
A two-time PGA Champion, Thomas is the second St. X golf alum to become a member of the Hometown Hero banner series.
"It's just unbelievable," said former St. X golf coach Marty Donlon. "To be right across from Bobby Nichols. Justin was an unbelievable young man and he's lived up to that."
A state champion at St. X, a national champion at the University of Alabama, and a 15-time PGA Tour winner, Thomas continues to give back to the city that raised him through the Justin Thomas Foundation and serves as an inspiration to the next generation of golfers in Louisville with members of the current Tiger golf team in attendance at the ceremony.
"It's really cool for these guys to see Justin get honored like this," said St. X golf coach Mike Finney. "I know every one of those guys are thinking 'Maybe that could be me in the future,' It's great for the guys to experience this."
The banner hangs on the east-facing wall of the Watterson City Office Park building, Thomas grew up driving by and dreaming of the day he would have a banner of his own.
"It doesn't seem fitting," said Thomas. "I don't feel like I deserve this...it's cool."